Slidable jaw wrench with terminal adjusting nut



J. RUzEK 2,469,789 SLIDABLEJAW WRENCH WITH TERMINAL. ADJUs'TING NUTvMayo, 1949 Filed may 12. 1947.

IN VEN TOR. Jo aspx-r Ruzzx Patented May 10, 1949 SLIDABLE JAW WRENCHWITH TERMINAL ADJUSTING NUT Joseph Ruzek, New Orleans, La. ApplicationMay l2, 1947, Serial No. 747,521

(Cl. 81-16S) 1 Claim.

The present invention refers to a universal wrench and relates moreparticularly to a tool of the type adapted for hand use and to applypressure to a work piece from diametrically opposite directions.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tool of the typedescribed having interchangeable working faces, so that the same handleand adjusting mechanism may be used in connection with different typesof work engaging instruments such as wrench jaws, pipe cutters, punchand sleeve sets, gasket hole cutters, pipe vises, tap adaptors and soliddie sets.

An object of the present invention is to provide an unusually sturdywrench of the type described.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide such a wrench comprisingmeans for fixing the same in a vise.

Another object is the provision of a head for such wrench provided withmeans for connecting an auxiliary handle diametrically opposite from thehandle of the wrench.

Still another object is the provision of novel means for providing easytightening of the adjusting means for the working faces in spite of thegreat pressures against such faces encountered in this type of tool.

In accomplishing the objects of the present invention, the wrench isprovided with a massive head and formed with a substantially rectangularrecess on one side thereof and comprising an elongated tubular handle.Formed in the head and extending longitudinally thereof along the borderof the recess is a substantially T- shaped recess communicatingtherewith at its lower end. Extending along the side of the headopposite to the recess is a lip for fastening the head in a vise. Theportion of the head extending above the recess has a threaded recessformed therein and extending downward from its upper surface and adaptedto receive a threaded pipe as an auxiliary handle.

Concentrically with said threaded recess and extending upward from thelower surface of said upper portion is a square recess for receiving thelug of the upper replaceable tool. Slidably mounted in the head of thewrench and extending into the handle thereof is a ram having a squareupper portion and a threaded lower portion. Telescopically receivedwithin the handle is a tubular nut of cylindrical outer shape andinternally threaded to engage the lower end of the ram. The nut has ahandle extending outwardly of the wrench handle and therebelow.Complementary surfaces of the wrench handle and nut are formed as ballbearing races and the wrench handle is formed with a hole connectingwith the ball bearing races, for the introduction of the ball bearingsinto the races after the nut and wrench handle are telescopicallyengaged. The ball bearing entry hole is threaded and closed by an Allenhead screw. The ball bearings thus serve as thrust bearings preventingthe friction of the thrust developed in the operation of the wrench frominterfering with the application of further thrust to the work piece byturning of 'the nut in threaded engagement with the ram.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim in which the variousnovel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a side elevational view, partly insection, of a deviceembodying the present in,- vention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view thereof on the line 2-2of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a top eievational view of the device.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of an upper tool face for use with theinvention.

Fig. '7 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a lower tool face for use with theinvention.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. lo is a section on the line IG-Iil of Fig. l.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the improved universal wrench2i?. comprises a massive, substantially oblong head 2i and the tubularhandle 22 connected therewith, and preferably integral therewith. Thehead 2| is formed with a longitudinally extending substantiallyrectangular recess 23. Extending along the side of said recess andparallel therewith and in communication therewith is a recess 24 ofsubstantially T-shaped cross section. Recess 24 is formed in theelongated back portion 2E of head '2l and is partially definedV by thewing portions 2S extending from the top thereof alrnost to the bottomthereof, terminating So as to leave a channel Z1 of substantially squarecross section in communication with the recess 23. EL tending rearwardlyof the back portion 25 of head 2l is the fin or lic portion 2t extendinglongitudinally of the head portion. Lip portion 28, as best seen inFigs. 3, 4 and 5, is substantially rectangular in shape,integral withback portion 25, and well adapted as a purchase member for fixing wrench23 in a vise. The upper portion 29 of head 2i is that portion extendingabove recess 23 and is formed with a recess 33 extending downward fromits upper surface, and formed with threads 3l for engagement with athreaded pipe adapted to serve as an auxili9 handle extendingdiametrically Oppositely fr handle 22 of wrench 23. Extending upwardiyfrom the lower surface of upper portion 23 is the recess 32 of squarecross section.

A bore 33 extends through the base portion 35 of wrench head 2l andlikewise through handle 22. Bore 33 is enlarged as at 35 for thereception of a square guide tube 35. Guide tube 33 is removable, and iskept in place by the Allen head screw 31.

The ram 38 has an upper portion 39 as square cross Section, provided atits upper end with a spring ball snap lili. Ram 33 further has a lowerthreaded portion 4l, the portions 33 and 4I extending each approximatelyfor half the length of ram 35. Telescopically engaged in bore 33 is thetubular nut d2, internally threaded to engage portion di of ram 38. Nut42 is rotatable in bore 33, and has a knurled handle portion t3extending longitudinally beyond handle 52 and formed with the transversehole 54 for the entry of a pin to apply turning force thereto.

Nut 42 is mounted slidingly in bore 33, but is prevented from slidingtherein by the following construction. Intermediate its length, theouter surface 45 of nut 42 is formed with the ball bearing race de. Bore33 is correspondingly formed with the ball bearing race di. Ballbearings i8 are introduced into the races i3 and 37 through an openingG9 extending radially of handle 22 and of the reinforcing band 55surrounding handle 22 longitudinally coincident with the ball bearingraces 46 and Kil. The ball bearing entry port 49 is threaded and isclosed by the Allen head screw An upper detachable tool member 52, shownin Figs. 6 and 7, has a body 53 formed with wrench teeth 55 such as arefound in pipe wrenches. It is understood that the operative surface oftool 52 might be any number of work forming surfaces, such as pipecutters, gasket cutters, and so forth.

The substantially rectangular body 53 of upper detachable 'tool member52 is formed with the substantially cubical stud 55 extending upwardlytherefrom, and provided on one surface thereof with a ball snap 55actuated outward by the spring 5l and peened into place. Stud 55 isadapted to engage the substantially square recess 32 of upper portion 29of wrench head 2i, and to be detachable therefrom. Tool 52 isresiliently retained in operative relation to upper portion 23 byengagement of ball snap 56 in the recess 53a corresponding thereto andformed in the square recess 32 in upper portion 29. The lower detachabletool member 58 has a substantially rectangular body 55 provided on itsupper surface with wrench teeth 65 conventionally found on pipewrenches. It is understood that such wrench teeth are adapted tocooperate with wrench teeth 54 to make of the universal wrench 2G a pipewrench. It is further understood that various modifications of thereplaceable lower tool 53 may be provided in order to make of theuniversal wrench 20 an apparatus for cutting pipe, and other purposesenumerated above. Extending upward of the lower surface of body 53 ofthe lower 4 replaceable tool 58 is the substantially square recess 5l.Extending rearwardly from body 59 is the substantially T-shaped flange52.

In order to insert the detachable tools in the universal wrench, uppertool 53 is snapped into place by inserting the stud 55 into the recess32, whereupon ball snap 55 engages its recess 58a to be resilientlyretained in place. Lower tool is engaged in wrench 2li by insertingflange 32 into passage 2l, and turning nut handle 153, advancing ram 33upward. The square upper portion 33 now enters the recess 5l, and theball snap 40 engages the corresponding recess 33 of lower tool 58. Uponfurther turning of nut handle 43, the entire lower tool 58 is caused totravel upward and the T-shaped ange 52 engages the channel 24, alsoT-shaped, to lock lower tool 58 against any sidewise motion.

Once the upper and lower tools engage a, work piece between them, thrustis developed by further turning of the nut handle 43. In such instance,the anti-friction mounting of nut 42 in bore 33 is eiective to furnishcomparatively easy turning of nut t3 for developing further thrust inthe best possible manner.

A further advantage of the ball bearing construction for the absorptionof thrust developed in the normal operation of the wrench is that, byloosening of Allen head screw 5I, the ball bearings @118 may be removedand the nut '32 taken out for repair and inspection.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent, is:

A combination including a wrench and detachable tool faces thereforcomprising, a substantially U-shaped head dening upper and lower opposedtaces and a back face perpendicularly disposed between the inner endsthereof, an elongated tubular handle depending integrally from the lowerface and opening therethrough, a relatively short guide tube secured insaid tubular handle adjacent said lower face, an elongated ram disposedwithin said guide tube and movable inwardly and outwardly of said lowerface, a portion of said rain being provided with screw threadsthereabout, an elongated tubular nut rotatably carried within saidhandle and threadedly engaged about said ram, a `ball bearing raceformed between said nut and said enclosing handle, a knurled handleformed on said tubular nut and disposed beyond the lower extremlty ofsaid tubular handle, an elongated channel of T-shaped cross sectionalconguration formed longitudinally of the back face of said wrench head,a square channel opening into said T-shaped channel through said backface adjacent tl'ie lower face, a substantiaily square socket formedupwardly into the upper face of said head, there being a ball receivingrecess formed in the wall of said socket, a substantially rectangulartool piece provided with a working face along one side thereof, a squarestud projecting from the piece opposite said working face, a snap balllock on the upper end of the said ram, an elongated tooi piece providedwith a working surface formed along one side thereof, a T-shapedextension formed on one end of said last named 5 tool piece beinginserted through the square channel in the back face of said head andslidably engaged in the T-shaped channel therein, a socket formed insaid face of said last named tool piece opposite the Working surfacethereof and provided internally with a. recess complementary with theram snap lock, a threaded auxiliary handle socket formed downwardly fromabove the upper face of said wrench head, and a rectangular projectionformed longitudinally of the back edge of said head providing a purchasemember to be secured in a vise.

JOSEPH RUZEK REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Hewet Aug. 24, 1839 RoseSept. 11, 1883 Brockett Jan. 26, 1897 Vanderman Sept. 26, 1899 Wirl Jan.29, 1901 Keil Feb. 16, 1909 Cramer' Feb. 6, 1917 Nonneman Apr. 16, 1918FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France June 19, 1906

